News and Politics | June 11, 2008 | 23 comments

Top-secret al-Qaeda documents casually left on train

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7449255.stm

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_Hayko
"Top-secret documents containing the latest government intelligence assessment on al-Qaeda have been left on a train in London.

A passenger on the train from Waterloo to Surrey spotted the orange cardboard envelope lying abandoned on a seat and handed the documents to the BBC.

A full-scale search had been launched by the Metropolitan Police.

Just seven pages long but classified as "UK Top Secret", the latest government intelligence assessment on al-Qaeda is so sensitive that every document is numbered and marked "for UK/US/Canadian and Australian eyes only", BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said."

You want us to believe that you can keep sensitive data about your citizens in the highest of security and yet you repeatedly demonstrate the contrary with breaches like this.
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23 comments // Top-secret al-Qaeda documents casually left on train

  • JaetheFirst
    • 0
      JaetheFirst  

    • That's rather suspicious. Perhaps they're trying to scramble what we know, and what we think we know; essentially blurring the lines between actual and actually. I'm really curious now, though! :)

    • 3 years ago
  • Argon18
    • 0
      Argon18  

    • "The Cabinet Office said the official in question had been authorised to take the seven-page file out of the office providing strict security guidelines were observed."

      There's your cover story, so how do you prove it was or wasn't disinformation one way or the other?

    • 3 years ago
  • matlaroche
    • 0
      matlaroche  

    • what a nitwit! i once left my tennis racket on the tube....did anyone see the photo of all those lost umbrellas in lost property the other day?

    • 3 years ago
  • bennyfilm
  • WorldPeaceTV
    • 0
      WorldPeaceTV  

    • Secrets are the truths that are covered by lies to deceive the public. The only 'secret' is is that they need to cover up their lies of deception and fear.

    • 3 years ago
  • mattbrawn
    • 0
      mattbrawn  
    • Image

    • Reuters are reporting that the government has suspended a senior intelligence official who they believe left the top secret file on the train.

    • 3 years ago
  • tasidude
  • gormlesstwat
  • Argon18
  • Argon18
    • 0
      Argon18  

    • I'm still not clear on the motive for having the papers found intentionally for the BBC, was it to give them some sort of legitimacy as "secrets" and have the "assessment" taken as valid by those they wanted to have the data?

      Wouldn't they be able to track where such information came from it was a "UK Top Secret?" It would have filing records and security logs detailing who had access to it and who had it last.

      At the very least even if it was a fake, they would have to have a "fall guy" to take the blame for leaving it on the train if they wanted it to be taken seriously.

      Also a convincing cover story for why he had it out of the building or wouldn't the people that they want to spread it to know it was false from the way they treated the matter?

    • 3 years ago
  • Dmitri_Molotov
  • huntre
  • Argon18
    • 0
      Argon18  
    • huntre:

      If it was supposed to "fall into the wrong hands" then why was it turned into the BBC? What purposed does that serve other to point out incompetence? Someone with a grudge against the department where it was stored?

      if it was some kind of plant to spread disinformation among terrorists then was it found by the wrong person?

      Even if it was left on purpose, it does sound like a botched job on someones part.

    • 3 years ago
  • jakes_green
  • VoyagerFilms
    • 0
      VoyagerFilms  

    • Can you trust that it is really anything of value? Seriously, it's like a Rovarian or Chenensky plant to "attempt" to give BS credibility, that's all.

    • 3 years ago
  • clayjj05
  • Argon18
    • 0
      Argon18  

    • What was the guy doing with it on the train n the first place? You would think they wouldn't let it out of the building if it was that "sensitive" of materials

    • 3 years ago
  • fuckbush
  • cerealforeal
  • dearmat23
  • _Hayko
  • abbym0308
  • _Hayko
    • 0
      _Hayko  
    • abbym0308:

      Ha ha! The funny thing in that article is how many wheelchairs and crutches people have lost. How on earth did they leave those behind? Must have been some kind of miracle.

    • 3 years ago
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